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IS EMMA RADUCANU’S "NIGHT OWL" TRAINING SCHEDULE THE SECRET TO HER MELBOURNE SUCCESS?
Emma Raducanu overcame a slow start and a midnight schedule to reach the second round. Is she ready for a Sabalenka showdown?
Sixteen minutes into her first match at Melbourne Park, Emma Raducanu looked lost. Down 1-3, 15-40, she couldn’t find her footing. Across the net, her opponent—a newcomer most people hadn’t even heard of—was playing out of her mind. It was the kind of moment that could send a player spiralling: panic, errors, the whole thing falling apart.
But Raducanu stayed calm. She shook off the rough start, found her game, and cruised into the second round of the Australian Open, beating Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1.
The circumstances weren’t easy. It was late at night, the opponent was hot, and the pressure was on. Still, Raducanu handled it all and walked off with a win that should give her a much-needed shot of confidence after a rocky off-season.
“I feel very happy to have gotten through the match,” she said afterwards. “From the beginning, she was playing so well. All her shots were landing right on the baseline—really tough. I’m proud of how I fought back.”
Raducanu didn’t have much time to settle in. She played in Hobart on Thursday night, her flight to Melbourne was delayed, and she ended up with just one day to adjust and practice before stepping on court. She also had to deal with a late-night slot—her only practice session at Melbourne Park ran from 9:15 to 11 p.m. “I’m a night owl, but not for playing. That’s for ‘Emma time’,” she joked.
She’s been trying to train herself to handle these late matches. “Half the battle is just figuring out how to arrange the day—when to switch on, when to switch off. I’ve tried a few things. Today, I actually felt really good before the match, and it helped that the match before mine didn’t run too long. I didn’t end up on court too late.”
Sawangkaew, also 23 and making her first appearance in a Grand Slam main draw, was the real reason Raducanu struggled early. Sawangkaew’s ranking—196—doesn’t show her true level. She’d been climbing the ranks until an injury put her out for six months last season, just after she cracked the top 100.
She came out swinging, using her heavy topspin forehand to push Raducanu back, rushing the net, and forcing errors with sharp defence. “Honestly, I didn’t feel like I was doing much wrong,” Raducanu admitted.
Still, her serve was off, and her forehand wasn’t clicking. She went down two breaks and seemed in trouble, but suddenly, everything started to work. Her serve came alive at the right moments, and her forehand started to land. Once she found her groove, she ran away with it.
“Today, I felt like I had better control over all my shots than I have in the last few weeks,” she said. “And honestly, all the matches and points I played recently, even the tough ones, helped me today. If I hadn’t played those three matches, I’m not sure I’d have gotten through this one. I’m glad I put myself in those situations.”
Next up, things get tougher. She’ll face Anastasia Potapova, a 24-year-old who switched to playing for Austria this year. Potapova is ranked 55 now, but has been as high as 21 and was once the top junior in the world. If Raducanu wins, she might face No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round—which should give a real sense of where her game stands.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, started her own tournament with an easy win Sunday night, taking out French wildcard Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4, 6-1. Sabalenka’s been in the last three Melbourne finals, winning two. She’s still the favourite.
With Roger Federer watching from the stands, Sabalenka kept pushing her game forward—she came to the net 22 times. “I’ve been working on serve and volley,” she said. “It’s one thing to do it in practice, but to do it in a match, to be fearless and just go for it, that’s something else. I’m really proud I could show that tennis.”
LIFE AFTER TENNIS: HOW RAFAEL NADAL REPLACED GRAND SLAMS WITH A QUEST FOR PARS.
Rafael Nadal is obsessed with golf: Analyse his new "Spin and Swing" circuit, his wife's reaction, and his wins on the green.
Rafael Nadal admits, half-joking, half-serious, that his love for golf drives his wife a little crazy. After racking up 22 Grand Slam singles titles (second-most in the Open Era) and wrapping up his 23-year tennis career in November 2024, Nadal needed something to fill the gap. Golf quickly took over.
He’s always loved the game, even back in his tennis days, but now that he’s off the tour, he’s spending more and more time on the course. These days, if he’s not playing, he’s glued to the TV, following tournaments. His wife, Maria Francisca Perello, apparently isn’t thrilled about this new obsession.
At a charity tournament in Madrid earlier this month, Nadal laughed about it: “I follow golf every week, and my wife suffers because of it. I watched Jon Rahm in Riyadh this week; he finished strong and almost won. I just really enjoy it.”
He’s not just watching, either. Last week in Mallorca, Nadal launched his own charity golf circuit, Spin and Swing. He mentioned he’s turned down wildcard offers to play in pro events before, since tennis always came first. All the money from his new event goes to his own foundation. For Nadal, this project just comes from a genuine love for the sport.
“I’ve had invites a few times,” he said, “but it’s never worked out. Maybe one day, but only if I feel like I won’t embarrass myself out there. I’d want to at least be able to compete, even if it’s just with myself.”
He’s already tested himself in smaller tournaments and not just for fun. He actually won the Balearic Mid-Amateur Championship by seven shots in February 2024, beating out 73 other players. He won’t brag about his game, but he’s clearly got talent.
Last July, he even got in a few rounds with Roger Federer at Pula Golf Resort in Mallorca. And who knows, maybe someday we’ll see a full Big Four showdown on the fairways. Andy Murray plays too, after all.
Talking to The Telegraph last year, Nadal teased, "Yeah, it could happen, but they need to practice! On the tennis cour,t we were pretty even, but this time, I’m way ahead.”
So, don’t be surprised if you see more of Nadal on the golf course from here on out. He’s traded one obsession for another, and honestly, it sounds like his wife will just have to put up with it a while longer.
OFFICIAL RETURN: NOVAK DJOKOVIC CONFIRMED FOR INDIAN WELLS 2026; TOURNAMENT STARTS THIS MARCH
Novak Djokovic is heading back to Indian Wells: Discover the latest on his 2026 schedule, fatigue updates, and his hunt for a 6th title.
Novak Djokovic is heading back to Indian Wells this year. The tournament organisers just made it official on social media, calling it a return to “Tennis Paradise". It’s been a quiet season for Djokovic so far. He’s only played the Australian Open, where he made it to the final but lost to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. He was supposed to play the Adelaide International before that, but pulled out, saying he wasn’t physically ready. He also skipped this week’s Qatar Open, blaming strong fatigue.
Djokovic isn’t playing any tournaments in the last week of February, but come March, he’ll be back for the Sunshine Double, starting at Indian Wells. The organisers sounded pretty excited, posting on Instagram: “A legend returns. 20 years after his debut here, Novak Djokovic is coming back to Tennis Paradise!”
This tournament is a familiar stop for Djokovic. He’s won it five times, but the last couple of years have been rough. In 2025, he lost in the second round to Botic van de Zandschulp. The year before, Luca Nardi knocked him out in the third round. Before that, he skipped three straight Indian Wells events for various reasons, and let’s not forget, the 2020 edition got cancelled because of the pandemic.
You have to go back to 2016 for the last time Djokovic really made a deep run here; he won his fifth title that year, beating Milos Raonic in the final. He also took the trophy in 2015, 2014, 2011, and 2008.
This year’s Indian Wells field looks stacked. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are expected to be the top seeds, with Djokovic likely taking the third spot. After them, you’ve got names like Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton, and Alexander Bublik.
Djokovic hasn’t said exactly what his schedule looks like for the rest of the year, but he’s expected to play the Miami Open next, a tournament he’s won six times. He returned to Miami last year after five years away. After that, all eyes shift to the clay-court season, starting with the Monte Carlo Masters.
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